e-obs Stories & Publications

@article{bounas_displacement_2026,

title = {Displacement effects on an endangered cinereous vulture population in a landscape of increasing wind power development},

author = {Anastasios Bounas and Elzbieta Kret and Lavrentis Sidiropoulos and Sylvia Zakkak and Eleftherios Kapsalis and Volen Arkumarev and Dobromir Dobrev and Anton Stamenov and Stoycho Stoychev and Dimitris Vasilakis},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320726000364},

doi = {10.1016/j.biocon.2026.111728},

issn = {0006-3207},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-03-01},

urldate = {2026-02-17},

journal = {Biological Conservation},

volume = {315},

pages = {111728},

abstract = {Windenergy is widely considered to be an integral part in global efforts to mitigate climate change, but its rapid expansion is raising concerns regarding its impacts on biodiversity and specifically soaring birds which rely on the same high-wind landscapes targeted for turbine siting. Understanding how these developments alter space use, movement behaviour, and energy expenditure is critical for mitigating impacts on threatened populations. Here, we combined two decades of telemetry data to evaluate the responses of Cinereous vultures (Aegypius monachus) in a region undergoing substantialwind power plant development. Long-term analyses (2004\textendash2022) revealed pronounced displacement, with population utilization reduced by 85\textendash89% within 200 m of turbines. High-resolution GPS tracking (2016\textendash2021) provided complementary behavioural insights, showing significant reductions in crossing rates, daily flight distances and time spent near turbines once they became operational. We also identified areas of increased vulture activity that overlap with planned wind farms under licensing, suggesting that such sites may represent critical corridors for population movement and should remain undeveloped. Our findings support considering cumulative displacement and potential energetic costs in environmental assessments alongside major existing threats, including poisoning and electrocution. We recommend spatial planning that avoids core movement areas to reconcile renewable energy expansion with the conservation of large soaring raptors.},

keywords = {accelerometer, Cumulative impacts, Displacement, Energetic costs, Flight behaviour, flying bird, scavenger, Soaring birds, Space use, Spatial planning, Vulture, Wind energy},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{goodman_space_2026,

title = {Space Use and Movements During Egg Laying Associated With Nest Fate and Female Survival in Eastern Wild Turkeys},

author = {Paige E. Goodman and Nicholas W. Bakner and Nickolas A. Gulotta and Erin E. Ulrey and Bret A. Collier and Michael J. Chamberlain},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ece3.73026},

doi = {10.1002/ece3.73026},

issn = {2045-7758},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

urldate = {2026-02-17},

journal = {Ecology and Evolution},

volume = {16},

number = {2},

pages = {e73026},

abstract = {Reproduction is a fundamental aspect of a species' life history that is energetically costly, yet critical for population sustainability and genetic diversity. Wild turkeys exhibit high rates of nest loss and female mortality during reproduction, prompting females to make decisions related to spatial and movement decisions during nesting. Using GPS data from eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris ), we assessed female movements and space use during laying and evaluated potential impacts of those metrics on nest success and female survival during incubation. We used a Bayesian logistic regression to estimate nest success and female survival based on space use, daily movements, and range overlap with conspecifics during the laying period. We found that with each increase of 700 m in average daily distance traveled during laying, there was a 1.73% decrease in the probability of nest success. We also found that having a greater number of conspecific females with overlapping core areas had a positive influence on nest fate. Specifically, an increase of 1 overlapping female (one standard deviation) was associated with a 4.76% increase in the probability of nest success. Conversely, we found weak support that female survival was positively related to increasing average daily distances traveled. Our findings suggest that female wild turkeys perceive reproductive advantages to sharing space with conspecifics during the laying period. Conversely, our findings suggest that movements of female wild turkeys within their reproductive period may only weakly influence metrics of reproductive success during both laying and incubation.},

note = {_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ece3.73026},

keywords = {accelerometer, egg laying, ground, Meleagris gallopavo, mortality, nesting, reproduction, social, Space use, survival, terrestrial, Wild Turkey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{ulrey_exploring_2026,

title = {Exploring spatial relationships of male wild Turkeys during the breeding season},

author = {Erin E. Ulrey and Nicholas W. Bakner and John C. Kilgo and Bret A. Collier and Michael J. Chamberlain},

url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-34883-7},

doi = {10.1038/s41598-025-34883-7},

issn = {2045-2322},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

urldate = {2026-02-17},

journal = {Scientific Reports},

volume = {16},

number = {1},

pages = {4637},

publisher = {Nature Publishing Group},

abstract = {Leks are characterized as clusters of displaying males that females visit primarily for the purpose of mating, and represent complex mating systems observed across various species, including birds, mammals, and insects. Male wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) use reproductive strategies that involve visual and acoustic displays to compete for mates. However, there is ambiguity as to whether the mating system of eastern wild turkeys (M. g. silvestris) is a form of lekking. Our objective was to evaluate the potential that eastern wild turkeys use a form of a lek mating system via a movement based recursive analysis to identify if areas were revisited by males during the breeding season, and whether selection of revisited areas was related to resources or female distribution. Using GPS locations collected from 151 male and 261 female wild turkeys from 2014 to 2023 across the southeastern United States, we identified 6,565 locations that occurred within revisited areas during the breeding season and examined resource selection by males at those revisited areas. We found that average size of revisited areas was 49.89 ha and comprised approximately 8.12% of male breeding season home ranges. Male wild turkeys traveled greater distances from their winter home ranges to revisited areas, than did females from their winter home ranges to pre-laying ranges. Male wild turkeys selected revisited areas that were closer to hardwood forests and open areas. Additionally, we found that selection of revisited areas was positively associated with an increase in the relative probability of female presence and visibility of males. We encourage research to further elucidate the dynamics of wild turkey mating behaviors relative to potential forms of lekking that wild turkeys may use throughout their geographic range.},

keywords = {accelerometer, Behavioural ecology, Ecology, gps, ground, mortality, social, terrestrial, turkey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{tekam_habitat_2026,

title = {Habitat Selection and Seed Dispersal by the Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata) in the Rainforests of Southern Cameroon},

author = {Antoine S. A. Tekam and Nicholas J. Russo and Bonaventure Sonk\'{e} and Vincent Deblauwe and Docas L. Nshom and Nicolas Barbier and Ant\'{o}nio Ferraz and Sassan Saatchi and Martin Wikelski and Elsa M. Ordway and Thomas B. Smith},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/btp.70153},

doi = {10.1111/btp.70153},

issn = {1744-7429},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

urldate = {2026-02-17},

journal = {Biotropica},

volume = {58},

number = {1},

pages = {e70153},

abstract = {Tropical rainforests are biodiversity hotspots, where the seeds of 60%\textendash90% of trees are dispersed by animals, yet movement data needed to understand the behaviors and habitat selection of tropical frugivores remain scarce. We GPS-tracked four great blue turacos (Corythaeola cristata) in the Dja Faunal Reserve of southern Cameroon and predicted spatial patterns of seed dispersal within each bird's home range, which covered up to 2.33 km2. Using integrated Step Selection Analyses, we related turaco movements to LiDAR-derived measurements of 3D vegetation structure and habitat type. One individual preferred areas of tall canopy height, whereas one preferred intermediate canopy height and avoided swamps and areas of greater vertical vegetation complexity. Seed dispersal patterns for the two turacos with the largest home ranges were predicted to be more diffuse, with local maxima almost an order of magnitude smaller than those with smaller home ranges. Although the great blue turaco is a common bird species throughout central African forests, this is the first study to characterize the species' movement ecology using telemetry. The observed individual variation in movement and habitat use underscores the need to track a broader range of species in central African landscapes, which are increasingly threatened by hunting, logging, habitat loss, and climate change.},

note = {_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/btp.70153},

keywords = {accelerometer, African, Animal movement, Backpack, behavior, biodiversity, bird, Bird Solar, Flight behaviour, Flying, Forest, frugivore, home range, movement ecology, Space use, Step Selection Function, telemetry},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{gulotta_testing_2026,

title = {Testing the human shield hypothesis: Female wild turkeys have greater fitness near human activity},

author = {Nick A. Gulotta and Patrick H. Wightman and Bret A. Collier and Michael J. Chamberlain},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1365-2664.70235},

doi = {10.1111/1365-2664.70235},

issn = {1365-2664},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

urldate = {2026-03-21},

journal = {Journal of Applied Ecology},

volume = {63},

number = {1},

pages = {e70235},

abstract = {Predator\textendashprey dynamics are driven by trade-offs between resource acquisition and risk avoidance, with prey behaviour and fitness shaped by both consumptive and non-consumptive effects. Human activity adds complexity to predator\textendashprey dynamics. Humans can either act as super-predators through direct harvest or create refuge from natural predators. The human shield hypothesis suggests that proximity to human activity benefits prey by reducing predation risk, as predators tend to avoid humans. In hunted landscapes where both predators and prey are harvested, the benefits of the human shield may hinge on individual behaviours. However, the role of consistent among-individual differences in behaviour (i.e. behavioural types) in influencing fitness, especially for non-targeted females in male-only harvest systems, remains largely unknown. Using GPS data from n = 200 female wild turkeys, we examined how proximity to human activity (i.e. secondary roads) and predation risk (i.e. shrub landcover) influenced survival and reproduction. Applying a univariate modelling framework, we quantified variation in behavioural types for both risk-taking measures and evaluated fitness outcomes to test whether human activity functioned as a protective shield. We found significant individual variation in both risk-taking measures (distance to secondary roads\textemdashr = 0.39, 95% CrI = 0.35, 0.44; distance to shrub landcover\textemdashr = 0.35, 95% CrI = 0.30, 0.40). Importantly, we found support for the human shield hypothesis. Females that occurred closer to human activity had greater fitness than females that occurred closer to risky areas associated with predators. Consistent with the human shield hypothesis, female wild turkeys also occurred closer to human activity during critical nesting stages, such as incubation and brooding, which is when predation risk is at its peak. Synthesis and application. Our findings indicate that human activity can create a protective shield that deters predators and enhances survival and reproduction for prey species of conservation concern. Because habitat work on public lands often occurs in areas accessible to heavy machinery, such as secondary roads, managers can pair habitat manipulations with regular, light human presence in those locations to improve survival and reproduction of prey species and deliver strong conservation returns. Our results emphasize the need for further research on the human shield hypothesis that explicitly incorporates among-individual differences in behaviour and links them to fitness, to better understand how human recreation affects game populations.},

note = {_eprint: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1365-2664.70235},

keywords = {animal personality, behavioural type, fitness, human activity, human shield, Wild Turkey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{koch_risk_2026,

title = {Risk Factors and Coinfection Dynamics of Pathogens in Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) From Pennsylvania, USA},

author = {Ryan W. Koch and Axel O. G. Hoarau and Tryssa Ruyter and Caitlin Duffy and Lucie Pascarosa and Kerry A. Campbell and Casey L. Maynard and Andrew Cushman and Heather Flick and Anthony Musselman and Julianna Patsko and Rachel Bealer and Graham Rhone and Mary Jo Casalena and Andrew Di Salvo and Ken Duren and Jay T. Armstrong and Frances E. Buderman and R. Scott Larsen and Caroline Sobotyk and Erica A. Miller and Kevin D. Niedringhaus and Brock Geary and Eman Anis and Roderick B. Gagne},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ece3.73079},

doi = {10.1002/ece3.73079},

issn = {2045-7758},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

urldate = {2026-02-17},

journal = {Ecology and Evolution},

volume = {16},

number = {2},

pages = {e73079},

abstract = {Interactions between co-occurring pathogens can have complex and significant impacts on host survival, fitness, and population dynamics. While common in wildlife, coinfections are often overlooked, and research may create biased management perspectives when individual pathogens are assessed in isolation. Recent work has found that wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are affected by various pathogens, but it is unknown how infections and coinfections are spatially structured or interact with each other. Here, we determined the associations and risk factors of infection by lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV), reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV), three avian Mycoplasma species, and internal parasites in Pennsylvania wild turkeys. Our results indicate varying prevalences: LPDV (70%), REV (1%), Mycoplasma gallisepticum (0%), Mycoplasma meleagridis (4%), Mycoplasma synoviae (2%), and internal parasites (63%). The prevalence of LPDV was greater in adults than juveniles but did not vary with year, sex, study area, or landscape type. Parasite species richness was greater in juveniles than adults, greater in males than females, varied by year and study area, but did not vary with landscape type. Coinfections with LPDV and parasites were more common (41%) than infections with only LPDV (26%) or only parasites (22%). All other coinfection prevalences involving viruses, Mycoplasma species, and parasites were low (0%\textendash3%). Finally, infection with LPDV did not differ with overall parasite species richness but was negatively associated with infection with parasitic nematodes. These results reveal high rates of coinfections with LPDV and parasites in turkeys but suggest that parasite infections are independent of LPDV infections. Ongoing work is currently investigating the sublethal effects of these coinfections on wild turkey populations.},

note = {_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ece3.73079},

keywords = {disease, disease surveillance, Ecology, ground, ground dwelling, human conflict, infectious diseases, LPDV, Mycoplasma, nest success, Nesting Disease, parasite, social, telemetry, terrestrial, turkey, Turkey Movement, turky, Wild Turkey, wildlife, Wildlife Management},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{bravo-chaparro_gps-tracked_2026,

title = {GPS-tracked vultures indicate a relaxation of conservation commitments in renewable energy development},

author = {Elena Bravo-Chaparro and Jorge Rodr\'{i}guez-P\'{e}rez and Mar\'{i}a Fern\'{a}ndez-Garc\'{i}a and Jos\'{e} Carlos Gonz\'{a}lez and Gerardo B\'{a}guena and Jo\~{a}o Pedro Valente e Santos and Iv\'{a}n Guti\'{e}rrez and Jos\'{e} Vicente L\'{o}pez-Bao and Patricia Mateo-Tom\'{a}s},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1365-2664.70225},

doi = {10.1111/1365-2664.70225},

issn = {1365-2664},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

urldate = {2026-02-17},

journal = {Journal of Applied Ecology},

volume = {63},

number = {1},

pages = {e70225},

abstract = {Strategic and well-informed environmental planning tools are instrumental to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Given the boost in renewable energy facilities, different planning tools are being proposed to identify low-sensitive areas for the installation of these infrastructures, where environmental impact assessment procedures are simplified. However, the effectiveness of these tools is rarely scrutinized and, therefore, if they are fit for purpose remains unsolved. We used data from 90 GPS-tracked griffon and bearded vultures to assess the level of spatial agreement between vultures' space use at heights with a risk of collision with wind turbines and the environmental sensitivity to wind energy identified by official planning tools. Despite relatively high agreements (\>0.6 out of 1), these tools still misclassified up to 88% of vultures' home ranges, with strong disagreements observed in foraging grounds, movement corridors and near breeding colonies. Furthermore, the spatial agreement decreased when considering the legally binding categories (\>0.6 out of 1) in contrast with the non-statutory categories (\>0.9 out of 1). Synthesis and applications. Our results highlight the need to evaluate and improve official spatial planning tools developed to minimize environmental impacts such as those of renewable energies. GPS-tracking data from vulnerable species help in identifying risk areas misclassified by the planning tools, which should also be founded in a proper legal background (e.g., constraining development in the most sensitive areas) to avoid limiting their effectiveness in practice.},

note = {_eprint: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1365-2664.70225},

keywords = {accelerometer, biologging, Bird Solar Cellular, conflict, environmental impact assessment, environmental policy, Flying, human, legal downgrading, Lifetime, movement ecology, renewable energy, scavenger, scavengers, Soaring, Spatial planning, Vulture, Wind energy},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{tekam_habitat_2026-1,

title = {Habitat Selection and Seed Dispersal by the Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata) in the Rainforests of Southern Cameroon},

author = {Antoine S. A. Tekam and Nicholas J. Russo and Bonaventure Sonk\'{e} and Vincent Deblauwe and Docas L. Nshom and Nicolas Barbier and Ant\'{o}nio Ferraz and Sassan Saatchi and Martin Wikelski and Elsa M. Ordway and Thomas B. Smith},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/btp.70153},

doi = {10.1111/btp.70153},

issn = {1744-7429},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

urldate = {2026-02-27},

journal = {Biotropica},

volume = {58},

number = {1},

pages = {e70153},

abstract = {Tropical rainforests are biodiversity hotspots, where the seeds of 60%\textendash90% of trees are dispersed by animals, yet movement data needed to understand the behaviors and habitat selection of tropical frugivores remain scarce. We GPS-tracked four great blue turacos (Corythaeola cristata) in the Dja Faunal Reserve of southern Cameroon and predicted spatial patterns of seed dispersal within each bird's home range, which covered up to 2.33 km2. Using integrated Step Selection Analyses, we related turaco movements to LiDAR-derived measurements of 3D vegetation structure and habitat type. One individual preferred areas of tall canopy height, whereas one preferred intermediate canopy height and avoided swamps and areas of greater vertical vegetation complexity. Seed dispersal patterns for the two turacos with the largest home ranges were predicted to be more diffuse, with local maxima almost an order of magnitude smaller than those with smaller home ranges. Although the great blue turaco is a common bird species throughout central African forests, this is the first study to characterize the species' movement ecology using telemetry. The observed individual variation in movement and habitat use underscores the need to track a broader range of species in central African landscapes, which are increasingly threatened by hunting, logging, habitat loss, and climate change.},

note = {_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/btp.70153},

keywords = {biodiversity, corythaeola cristata, frugivore, great blue turaco, home range, movement ecology, Step Selection Function},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{wightman_investigating_2025,

title = {Investigating diel patterns of predation events in wild turkeys using tri‐axial accelerometer data},

author = {Patrick H. Wightman and Nick A. Gulotta and Bradley S. Cohen and Bret A. Collier and Michael J. Chamberlain},

url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1631},

doi = {10.1002/wsb.1631},

issn = {2328-5540, 2328-5540},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-12-01},

urldate = {2025-12-17},

journal = {Wildlife Society Bulletin},

volume = {49},

number = {S1},

pages = {e1631},

abstract = {Abstract 

 Numerous studies have evaluated the species responsible for predation events on birds and their nests, but little research has assessed the location and timing of mortality events. Describing the location and timing of mortality events in birds facilitates improved inference and supports a more rigorous understanding of predator‐prey dynamics. To better understand predation on eastern wild turkeys ( 

 Meleagris gallopavo silvestris; 

 hereafter, wild turkeys), we used a combination of GPS spatial data and tri‐axial accelerometer data to investigate the timing and location of predation events. We monitored 477 female and 215 male wild turkeys during 2022\textendash2024. We identified 154 predation events on 126 females and 28 males. We found that for females, 43% of mortalities occurred at night while ground roosting, 32% of mortalities occurred during the day, and 24% occurred at night while tree roosting. Furthermore, we observed that 96% and 81% of predation events during nesting and brooding, respectively, occurred at night for females. Predation events during nesting and brooding peaked and remained consistent throughout the night but decreased during the day. For males, we found that 57% of mortalities occurred during the day whereas 43% occurred at night while roosting. There was no discernible pattern in predation while males were roosting throughout the annual cycle, but predation events on the ground increased in March, peaked in April, and declined in May. Our results indicate that predation risk profiles are sex specific and vary based on phenological cycle. The effect of predation on ground‐nesting females is well‐documented, with management strategies historically focused on increasing vegetation cover, which is assumed to reduce predation. However, predation on males and females while tree roosting presents a challenging topic, as research and management intervention options remain limited.},

keywords = {accelerometer, bird, diel cycle, Meleagris gallopavo silvestris, mortality, predation, Wild Turkey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{butler_vital_2025,

title = {Vital rates and population trajectory of a declining eastern wild turkey population in southeastern Oklahoma},

author = {Nicolle Butler and R. Dwayne Elmore and Cody Griffin and Kent Andersson and Michael Barrett and Cyrena Bedoian and Craig A. Davis and Samuel D. Fuhlendorf and Evan P. Tanner and M. Colter Chitwood},

url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.70002},

doi = {10.1002/wsb.70002},

issn = {2328-5540, 2328-5540},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-12-01},

urldate = {2025-12-17},

journal = {Wildlife Society Bulletin},

volume = {49},

number = {S1},

pages = {e70002},

abstract = {Abstract 

 The eastern wild turkey ( 

 Meleagris gallopavo silvestris 

 ; hereafter, wild turkey) is a culturally and economically important game species in North America, yet populations have shown apparent declines across their distribution. Oklahoma, USA, has not been immune to declines, with several indices of abundance and recruitment (e.g., poults per female) trending downward in recent years. To investigate underlying demographic rates driving apparent declines in Oklahoma, we quantified current stage‐specific survival and reproductive rates. Our objective was to determine the current population trajectory using field‐derived vital rates and identify which demographic factors had the greatest influence on the asymptotic population growth rate (λ). In 2022 and 2023, we captured 28 and 33 female wild turkeys, respectively, during winter (January\textendashMarch) using rocket nets in McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Overall annual survival was low (0.40; 95% CI: 0.27\textendash0.59, 

 n = 48), with higher survival in after‐second‐year females (0.55; 95% CI: 0.37\textendash0.82) than second‐year females (0.30; 95% CI: 0.16\textendash0.58); mammalian predation was the leading cause of mortality. Additionally, reproductive output was low, with only 17% of incubated nests (5 of 28) successfully hatching poults and no observed poults survived until independence. A stage‐structured projection matrix parameterized with our field‐derived estimates predicted a 45% annual population decline under current estimated demographic rates. Sensitivity and elasticity analyses corroborated previous work that determined adult female survival as the most influential vital rate driving population dynamics. However, the lack of any poults achieving independence indicates concern regarding the lack of recruitment. Our results underscore the importance of understanding and managing factors that influence adult female survival and reproduction to address wild turkey population declines. Our findings also highlight the necessity of sustained, long‐term monitoring to better understand population dynamics across time and variable environmental conditions. Additionally, while our work provides insights into a local population, there is a need for continued distribution‐wide efforts to identify broad‐scale drivers of population change.},

keywords = {bird, Bird‐2A‐IMU, matrix models, Meleagris gallopavo, nest success, Oklahoma, survival, telemetry, Wild Turkey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{goodman_influence_2025,

title = {Influence of lymphoproliferative disease virus on behaviors of female eastern wild turkeys during reproductive periods},

author = {Paige E. Goodman and Nicholas W. Bakner and Dylan L. Bakner and Nicole M. Nemeth and Chloe C. Goodwin and Bret A. Collier and Michael J. Chamberlain},

url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1632},

doi = {10.1002/wsb.1632},

issn = {2328-5540, 2328-5540},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-12-01},

urldate = {2025-12-17},

journal = {Wildlife Society Bulletin},

volume = {49},

number = {S1},

pages = {e1632},

abstract = {Abstract 

 The wild turkey ( 

 Meleagris gallopavo 

 ) is a socially and economically important species, but local populations throughout broad areas of the species range have declined, primarily due to low reproductive success. Lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV) is a retrovirus that can cause disease in wild turkeys. Contemporary research suggests that LPDV is prevalent in wild turkeys. Whether LPDV is related to observed wild turkey population declines is unclear, but there is potential that the virus could cause direct and indirect effects on species demography. Our objectives were to evaluate whether LPDV infection in female wild turkeys influenced behaviors during reproductive periods, including during egg laying and incubation. We found that females infected with LPDV had greater average daily distances (+324 m) traveled during the egg laying period than non‐infected females. However, we failed to detect any biologically relevant relationships between infection with LPDV and rates of nest initiation or success, or female survival during incubation. Our findings suggest that LPDV may influence female behaviors during the reproductive period, but superficially these influences appear to have no negative influence on demography.},

keywords = {Lymphoproliferative disease virus, Meleagris gallopavo, reproduction, retrovirus, Wild Turkey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{argabright_comparing_2025,

title = {Comparing nesting rate and space use between extant and translocated eastern wild turkeys},

author = {Chad M. Argabright and Rusty L. Wood and Jason B. Hardin and Nicholas W. Bakner and Michael J. Chamberlain and Bret A. Collier},

url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1637},

doi = {10.1002/wsb.1637},

issn = {2328-5540, 2328-5540},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-12-01},

urldate = {2025-12-17},

journal = {Wildlife Society Bulletin},

volume = {49},

number = {S1},

pages = {e1637},

abstract = {Abstract 

 Translocations are commonly used in conservation but can often lead to behavioral changes in relocated individuals, which may affect the success of translocation efforts. Wild turkeys ( 

 Meleagris gallopavo 

 ssp.) were re‐established across North America using translocations in the mid‐to‐late 20 

 th century. We used recent translocation events in east Texas, USA, to evaluate nesting rate and space use by extant and translocated female wild turkeys. We compared behavioral differences between nesting and non‐nesting females, along with females translocated without male or female wild turkeys (i.e., conspecifics) present on the landscape (TCA) and females translocated with conspecifics already present on the landscape (TCP). We compared nesting rates and space use among 199 extant females, 33 TCA females, and 20 TCP females. We found that TCP females had a lower nesting rate of 0.75 (95% CI = 0.56\textendash0.94) than extant females 0.85 (95% CI = 0.80\textendash0.90) while TCA females had a lower nesting rate than either TCP or extant females (0.55, 95% CI = 0.38\textendash0.72). Nesting and non‐nesting females had similar pre‐laying range area, but pre‐laying ranges of TCA females were 125% to 200% larger than ranges of TCP or extant females, respectively. Translocated nesting females had a lower probability (0.43},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{boone_effects_2025,

title = {Effects of temperature and precipitation on wild turkey brood survival in the southeastern United States},

author = {Wesley W. Boone and Christopher E. Moorman and David J. Moscicki and Bret A. Collier and Michael J. Chamberlain and Adam J. Terando and John C. Kilgo and Nicholas W. Bakner and Krishna Pacifici},

url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.70003},

doi = {10.1002/wsb.70003},

issn = {2328-5540, 2328-5540},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-12-01},

urldate = {2025-12-17},

journal = {Wildlife Society Bulletin},

volume = {49},

number = {S1},

pages = {e70003},

abstract = {Abstract 

 Climate change is altering annual recruitment and influencing the trajectory of wildlife populations. The effect of climate change on recruitment varies among wildlife species, making implications difficult to generalize, necessitating species‐specific assessments. Assessment is especially important for investigating implications of future climate change for populations currently in decline, such as the eastern wild turkey ( 

 Meleagris gallopavo silvestris 

 ). We evaluated how variation in weather and plant phenology affected wild turkey brood survival by monitoring 257 broods across the southeastern United States during 2014\textendash2022. Average daily low temperature, average daily precipitation, maximum single‐day precipitation, and proximity to green‐up date did not predict daily brood survival. Although we documented no support for weather effects on wild turkey brood survival, additional work is likely needed to assess how climate change will influence other factors that indirectly influence brood survival and subsequent recruitment, including availability of food and cover resources.},

keywords = {bird, brood survival, climate change, Meleagris gallopavo, precipitation, temperature, Wild Turkey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{ulrey_use_2025,

title = {Use of LiDAR to examine habitat selection by incubating female wild turkeys in South Carolina},

author = {Erin E. Ulrey and Nicholas W. Bakner and James E. Garabedian and John C. Kilgo and Bret A. Collier and Michael J. Chamberlain},

url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1628},

doi = {10.1002/wsb.1628},

issn = {2328-5540, 2328-5540},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-12-01},

urldate = {2025-12-17},

journal = {Wildlife Society Bulletin},

volume = {49},

number = {S1},

pages = {e1628},

abstract = {Abstract 

 Avian reproductive activities are energetically demanding, leading to periods of heightened risk and reduced energy acquisition. Behavioral decisions by females in response to their physiological requirements are particularly important during nesting, as the availability and distribution of resources around nest sites can affect fitness of incubating females. We evaluated how spatially explicit LiDAR‐derived estimates of forest structure and topographical features influenced habitat selection by female eastern wild turkeys ( 

 Meleagris gallopavo silvestris 

 ) during the incubation period. We analyzed spatial data from 83 nesting attempts at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, USA, during 2021\textendash2022. Female wild turkeys selected for incubation recess locations in pine ( 

 Pinus 

 spp.) forests with an average basal area of textasciitilde14 m 

 2 

 /ha and density of 335 trees/ha. Selection probability was positively associated with south‐ and west‐facing aspects. Our findings highlight the importance of mature pine forests with understories that enhance foraging opportunities as key factors influencing incubation behaviors in female eastern wild turkeys.},

keywords = {behavior, bird, incubation, LiDAR, Meleagris gallopavo silvestris, recess movement, resource selection function, Wild Turkey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{collier_notorious_2025,

title = {The Notorious P\.{I}\.{G}.: wild pigs are not primary predators of wild turkey nests},

author = {Bret A. Collier and Michael J. Chamberlain},

url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1618},

doi = {10.1002/wsb.1618},

issn = {2328-5540, 2328-5540},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-12-01},

urldate = {2025-12-17},

journal = {Wildlife Society Bulletin},

volume = {49},

number = {S1},

pages = {e1618},

abstract = {Abstract 

 Eastern wild turkeys ( 

 Meleagris gallopavo silvestris 

 ) are one of the most socially and economically important big game species in North America. Given ongoing declines in eastern wild turkey population trajectories, considerable attention has been given to identifying causes of nest loss, including efforts focused on potential impacts of wild pigs ( 

 Sus scrofa 

 ) on wild turkey demography. Herein, we used the most spatially and temporally comprehensive dataset available on the nesting ecology of wild turkeys to demonstrate that wild pigs are not primary nest predators of wild turkeys. We found that aggregate nest loss from all species known to scavenge and remove eggs from nests, which includes snakes, raccoons ( 

 Procyon lotor 

 ), wild pigs, and other species, failed to exceed 12% of total nesting attempts. Our findings contradict contentions in the published literature suggesting that wild pigs are important nest predators. We offer that differences in our findings using actual wild turkey nests relative to works using artificial nests or camera surveys support our contention that wild pigs are not primary predators of wild turkey nests and likely have limited impact on wild turkey reproductive output. Furthermore, we contend that studies attempting to infer predation rates or predator species responsible for actual nest loss using artificial nests are biased and inaccurate.},

keywords = {eastern wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo silvestris, nest, predation, wild pigs, Wild Turkey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{gulotta_testing_2025,

title = {Testing the human shield hypothesis: Female wild turkeys have greater fitness near human activity},

author = {Nick A. Gulotta and Patrick H. Wightman and Bret A. Collier and Michael J. Chamberlain},

url = {https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.70235},

doi = {10.1111/1365-2664.70235},

issn = {0021-8901, 1365-2664},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-12-01},

urldate = {2025-12-17},

journal = {Journal of Applied Ecology},

pages = {e70235},

abstract = {Abstract 

 Predator\textendashprey dynamics are driven by trade‐offs between resource acquisition and risk avoidance, with prey behaviour and fitness shaped by both consumptive and non‐consumptive effects. Human activity adds complexity to predator\textendashprey dynamics. Humans can either act as super‐predators through direct harvest or create refuge from natural predators. The human shield hypothesis suggests that proximity to human activity benefits prey by reducing predation risk, as predators tend to avoid humans. In hunted landscapes where both predators and prey are harvested, the benefits of the human shield may hinge on individual behaviours. However, the role of consistent among‐individual differences in behaviour (i.e. behavioural types) in influencing fitness, especially for non‐targeted females in male‐only harvest systems, remains largely unknown. 

 Using GPS data from 

 n = 200 female wild turkeys, we examined how proximity to human activity (i.e. secondary roads) and predation risk (i.e. shrub landcover) influenced survival and reproduction. Applying a univariate modelling framework, we quantified variation in behavioural types for both risk‐taking measures and evaluated fitness outcomes to test whether human activity functioned as a protective shield. 

 We found significant individual variation in both risk‐taking measures (distance to secondary roads\textemdash 

 r = 0.39, 95% CrI = 0.35, 0.44; distance to shrub landcover\textemdash 

 r = 0.35, 95% CrI = 0.30, 0.40). Importantly, we found support for the human shield hypothesis. Females that occurred closer to human activity had greater fitness than females that occurred closer to risky areas associated with predators. Consistent with the human shield hypothesis, female wild turkeys also occurred closer to human activity during critical nesting stages, such as incubation and brooding, which is when predation risk is at its peak. 

 Synthesis and application 

 . Our findings indicate that human activity can create a protective shield that deters predators and enhances survival and reproduction for prey species of conservation concern. Because habitat work on public lands often occurs in areas accessible to heavy machinery, such as secondary roads, managers can pair habitat manipulations with regular, light human presence in those locations to improve survival and reproduction of prey species and deliver strong conservation returns. Our results emphasize the need for further research on the human shield hypothesis that explicitly incorporates among‐individual differences in behaviour and links them to fitness, to better understand how human recreation affects game populations.},

keywords = {animal personality, behavioural type, fitness, human activity, human shield, Wild Turkey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{wightman_hunting_2025,

title = {Hunting impacts male wild turkey space use and resource selection: insights from a hunted and non‐hunted population},

author = {Patrick H. Wightman and Erin E. Ulrey and John C. Kilgo and Jay R. Cantrell and Charles R. Ruth and Bret A. Collier and Michael J. Chamberlain},

url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1629},

doi = {10.1002/wsb.1629},

issn = {2328-5540, 2328-5540},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-12-01},

urldate = {2025-12-17},

journal = {Wildlife Society Bulletin},

volume = {49},

number = {S1},

pages = {e1629},

abstract = {Abstract 

 Predation risk is known to influence prey behaviors. Risk from human predators can be more influential on prey responses than risk from natural predators. The wild turkey ( 

 Meleagris gallopavo 

 ) is a widely distributed game species, and growing literature suggests that hunting activity influences various behavioral metrics of males, including rates of vocalizations, resource selection, and movements. However, previous studies have made inferences about potential influences of hunting activity on male resource selection and movement behaviors solely by studying hunted populations, using a before‐during‐after treatment design, wherein the treatment was the onset of hunting. A more appropriate design would rely on matching individual males from both hunted and non‐hunted populations to better account for individual variation in behaviors, hence improving causal inference. We compared space use, minimum daily distance moved, roost fidelity, and resource selection of male wild turkeys in a hunted population on the Webb Wildlife Management Area Complex during 2014\textendash2018 to males in a non‐hunted population on the Savannah River Site during 2020\textendash2023 in South Carolina, USA. We found that male wild turkeys in the hunted population maintained 53% smaller home ranges and 69% smaller core use areas once hunting began compared to the non‐hunted population, but this reduction in space use was temporary. We found no differences in minimum daily distance traveled, whereas males in the hunted population generally exhibited greater fidelity to roost sites. Males in the non‐hunted population selected areas closer to openings and secondary roads, whereas males in the hunted population exhibited the reverse pattern of selection until hunting ceased. Our findings contribute to a growing body of literature suggesting that male wild turkeys react to risk associated with hunting activity by altering their behaviors, although these alterations appear to be short in duration.},

keywords = {Meleagris gallopavo, movement ecology, predation risk, res, resource selection, south carolina, Wild Turkey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}